Resolution from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie

(21 July)
To: All ICBL Campaigns

Dear campaigners,

Below please find the resolution regarding landmines (doc. 88) from the 26th session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie in Yaonde, Cameroon 6-8 July. I would like to take this moment to congratulate and thank our colleagues at Handicap International Paris who initiated and followed through and all the african campaigns who contributed and followed up. As you may recall from a message from them in May, they first proposed the resolution to the African Regional Assembly of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophone World, which took place 10-12 May in Cotonou, Benin urging the African assembly to address the landmines issue (it was not on the original agenda) and then 'fully inform' the full Parliamentary Assembly in July and propose a resolution. The main points urged, ratification/accession by members, implementation of the Treaty including implementing national legislation under Article 9 and reporting under Article 7 are included in the final resolution. A word copy is available from me and attached below is a very rough, UNOFFICIAL English version. It is great work in a priority area as many have urged working more closely with parliaments for increasing ratification, and an excellent example and model of what committed campaigners, particularly african campaigners, can do!

Merci et felicitations to all who made it happen, drafted letters and those who also contacted their parliamentarians.

Liz

PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE FRANCOPHONIE

XXVIth ORDINARY SESSION
Yaoundé - July 6-8, 2000

DOCUMENT Nº88

Resolution
regarding universalisation and implementation of the Convention on the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of antipersonnel mines and on their destruction.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie, gathered in Yaounde from the 6th to the 8th of July, on the political commission's recommendation,

CONSIDERING that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie, meeting in ordinary session in Abidjan from the 6th to the 8th of July, recommended all member states of the International Organisation of the Francophonie to sign and ratify the Mine Ban Treaty as soon as possible,

RECALLING that since December 1997, when the Convention was opened for signature in Ottawa, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie mobilized, and has encouraged the Francophonie's authorities to mobilize in favour of the entry into force of the Convention, and thus to widely contribute to its universalisation,

WELCOMING the entry into force of the Convention, on 1 March 1999, after its ratification by 40 countries,

REITERATES that the Francophonie must remain alert and continue to be a driving force in the universalisation and the real implementation of the Convention,

RENEWS its call to the governments and parliaments of Member States of the International Organisation of the Francophonie, which are not yet State parties to the Convention, so that they accelerate the accession/ratification procedure that will permit them to fully accede to it,

REQUESTS parliaments of the member States of the IOF who have acceded to the Convention to adopt a national legislation, in accordance with article 9 of the Convention, in order to prevent, to put an end to and to punish all violations of this Treaty,

REQUESTS the governments of member states of the IOF which have acceded to the Convention to conform with article 7's requirements, and thus to provide the Secretary General of the United Nations a report presenting all the national measures adopted to implement the Convention.

REQUESTS the Secretary General of the IOF to undertake all necessary initiatives to ensure the success of this program.

Unofficial translation